1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locking device comprising at least one locking mechanism with a catch and a pivotable first pawl, wherein an operating lever is movable such that the operating lever cooperates during its movement with a drive pin of the first pawl. Thus, the invention relates in particular to a locking system with a preferably electrically-openable locking mechanism comprising a catch and at least two pawls, preferably for locking and unlocking movable doors, hatches, or back rests in motor vehicles.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
In such a locking mechanism, it is common for the catch and/or the pivotable pawl with a spring to be so biased that they are always returned safely to their normal position. A spring element serves in the context, for example, to move the catch into its open position. It is also customary to provide for the catch-arresting pawl a pawl spring that moves the pawl toward a position in which the catch-arresting pawl cooperates with the catch in a movement-blocking manner. It is common to position the catch spring on the rotational axis of the pawl itself to achieve a stacked position of the pawl spring and the first pawl.
Known are locks for motor vehicle doors in which a first locking pawl (and often also a second pawl) is blocked or supported by a so-called blocking lever. At the same time, the blocking lever has usually the purpose of increasing the safety of the lock against accidental opening or intrusion. In other locking mechanisms with two pawls, the main focus is on providing a low-audible noise opening (avoiding of a so-called audible opening snap). Especially by activating the latch using (separate) operating levers, it is important that during the opening and/or closing movement, the catch is guided as precisely as possible. To this end, the pawl can be implemented with stops, which are brought into contact with the operating lever (and/or with the second pawl) to initiate the opening movement.
Such locking devices have usually very narrow installation space conditions. Especially for locking mechanisms designed with more than one pawl, there exists the need not to enlarge the installation space for the locking device to allow, where necessary, for retrofitting systems with one pawl. The functionality of the locking device is to be further improved.